Posts Tagged ‘Oatmeal Cookies’

Cider and Autumn

Wednesday, October 31st, 2018

I’m not much of a cider drinker in general. When cider comes fresh from a local orchard, however, I can’t resist it.

This weekend my area in western Massachusetts will once again celebrate Franklin County Cider Days. Hard cider is now very chic—but we loved it before it was chic; this festival has been going on for more than two decades.

This year’s offerings include an amateur-cider-making competition, a cider dinner (already sold out!), tastings, lectures, and cooking demonstrations. I’m not involved this year, but even without me the weekend will be full of fun and flavor.

So when I went on Mass Appeal this morning to celebrate Halloween I felt that I should make something cider related. I only spearheaded one segment myself; the cidery in my own town of Hawley, Headwater Cider, sent a representative to make some pretty snazzy cocktails with Headwater’s hard cider.

My segment was simpler but also tasty. I mulled some cider. To me, mulling cider and Halloween go together; when the door keeps opening to admit trick or treaters, it’s nice to have something warming on the stove.

Because mulling cider is such a snappy recipe, I also made some of my chock-full oatmeal cookies. They go beautifully with the cider—and they’re a great Halloween offering for any trick or treaters who can’t eat chocolate.

Happy Halloween! Happy Cider Season!

Mulled Cider

Ingredients:

1/2 gallon apple cider (use the best quality you can find, from a farm/orchard if possible)
4 cinnamon sticks
several cloves (whole)
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/4 cup brown sugar or maple syrup (optional, but useful if your cider is on the tart side; mine definitely didn’t need the additional sweetness)

Instructions:

Combine the ingredients in a heavy saucepan. If you want to avoid a mess, put the spices in a cheesecloth bag or infuser. Or just ladle around them at the end (my choice).

Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a VERY low setting and simmer, almost covered, for 20 to 30 minutes. Serves 8.

And now the videos:

Cider Cocktails from Headwater Cider

Tinky Makes Mulled Cider and Chock-Full Oatmeal Cookies

Chock-Full Oatmeal Cookies

Thursday, January 31st, 2013

oatkiesweb

I couldn’t let National Oatmeal Month end without at least one oatmeal recipe, and what better way to celebrate than with some delightful housewarming cookies? This is your basic oatmeal-raisin cookie with a few extra touches to make it even more satisfying. The coconut, in particular, adds to the cookies’ chewiness.

 

These cookies offer my conscience a perfect compromise. At this chilly time of year I long to bake, particularly for my nephew Michael. I am aware that sweet baked goods are not the healthiest thing to feed him … or anyone else. These cookies still contain sugar and fat, but they are also chock full of fruits, nuts, and grains that make them healthier than your average cookie. If you use the white whole-wheat flour, the cookies are even less guilt-inducing.

You’ll note that I suggest using either butter or shortening. They both have advantages. The shortening gives oatmeal cookies a remarkable light consistency. On the other hand, butter gives them added flavor. Use whichever you like—or whichever you have more of!

The Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (at room temperature) or vegetable shortening
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flour (you may use either all-purpose or King Arthur Flour white whole-wheat flour)
1-1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup coconut, firmly packed
1/2 cup toasted pecans (optional if you have a child like ours who thinks he doesn’t like nuts)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together the butter and/or shortening with the sugars. Beat in the egg, followed by the vanilla. Stir in the baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, followed by the flour—and then the oatmeal!

Gently stir in the raisins, coconut, and pecans (if you are using those). The batter will be fairly dense.

Drop the batter in smallish clumps onto 2 ungreased baking sheets. (You may line the sheets with a silicone mat if you like.)

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies should JUST be beginning to brown. They are best not overcooked to ensure maximum chewiness.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

oatmealweb

Jody’s Homely Oatmeal Cookies

Friday, January 29th, 2010

Jody's cookiesweb

 
Last month I announced the beginning of my monthly “Twelve Cookies of Christmas” series and asked for cookie submissions from readers.
 
Jody Cothey of Hawley, Massachusetts (my hometown!), sent in this month’s “Two Turtle Doves” recipe, which she calls Havrekaker (I have also seen it spelled “Havrekakor.”)
 
The recipe is Norwegian. Jody first found it in a small book from the 1940s called A Grandmother for Christmas. She has been making the cookies since she was about 13.
 
Jody describes these oatmeal clumps as “homely but yummy.” They are indeed yummy, and they’re homely in both senses of the world: they’re a little plain, and they speak of home.
 
Jody’s home is Tregellys Fiber Farm. It’s on the other side of town from the Casa Tinky and looks as though it’s in a different country.
 
The hills outside my door are small and cozy; the ones outside Jody and her husband Ed’s home are dramatic—more like the Andes or the Himalayas than our humble Berkshires.
 
The Cotheys raise exotic (mostly) fiber-producing animals and have an abiding interest in India, Nepal, and Tibet. Ed weaves lovely rugs and blankets from the fleece. The pair sell his handiwork as well as fair-trade international handicrafts in a shop called Tregellys World in nearby Shelburne Falls.
 
When Jody isn’t taking care of yaks, Icelandic sheep, or Bactrian camels she writes poetry under her maiden name, Pamela Stewart. Her new book of poems, Ghost Farm, is due out later this year from Pleasure Boat Studio.
 
I don’t know how she finds time to bake, but I’m glad she does. It helps that these cookies are very, very easy. They hold together beautifully.
 
Jody says, “This is a fairly stiff mixture so have a strong wooden spoon and an adequate bowl, especially if doubling the recipe.” Ed, who is a big fan of the cookies, adds that they freeze well. (We didn’t have any left over to freeze!)
A Bactrian Camel (Courtesy of Tregellys Fiber Farm)

A Bactrian Camel on a Hawley Hill (Courtesy of Tregellys Fiber Farm)

  
Havrekaker
 
Ingredients:
 
1 cup (2 sticks) sweet butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 pinch salt
2 cups raw oatmeal
2 cups flour
 
Instructions:
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, followed by the vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the oatmeal and flour; combine thoroughly.
 
Drop or scoop cookies of the desired size onto greased cookie sheets. Ideally, you will have about 2 dozen cookies, but if you want them bigger or smaller, go right ahead.
 
Just remember that bigger cookies will take a little longer to bake, and smaller ones may take a little less time. Jody says, “Mine are small…. usually cookie size is personal, like bra size.”
 
Bake the cookies until they are firm and begin to get brown around the edges, about 15 minutes. Makes about 24 cookies.
 
oatmealweb

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